Kelly Inquest - The Scotsman

[Chris Scott]

Mary Ann Cox was the first of the female witnesses called.
She said - I live at the last house at the top of the court - Miller's Court. I am a widow and get a living on the streets. I've been unfortunate. On Thursday night, at 11.45, I last saw the deceased. She was very intoxicated. There was short, stout man, shabbily dressed, with her, who had a pot of ale in his hand. He had a round, black billycock hat and a full carrotty moustache. The chin was bare. I followed them up the court, and said, "Good night, Mary." She never turned round, and he banged the door. He had nothing but a quart can of beer in his hand. She said, "Good night. I'm going to have a song." Then the door was shut, and she sang "The violet I plucked from my mother's grave when a boy." I remained a quarter of an hour in my room. She was singing all the time. I went out, returned about one o'clock, and she was singing then. I went into my room to warm my hands a bit. It was raining hard then. I went out again, and returned at 3.10 a.m. Then the light was out, and there was no noise. I went in, but could not sleep and did not go to bed. I can't sleep when I owe anything. When the murder was discovered I had not had a wink of sleep. I had no sleep at all that day. There are men who go to work in Spitalfields Market, and who leave early. Once such man lives in the court now. I heard a man go out at 6.15. He might have gone out and come back again, for all I know. It might have been a policeman. The man who was with Kelly when I saw them was short and stout. All his clothes were dark. He appeared to be between 35 and 26. I did not notice the colour of his trousers. All his clothes were dark. The man looked very shabby; but his boots made no noise whatever in going into the court. The deceased had no hat on. I did not notice that the deceased was the worse drink until I said "Good night" to her. She scarcely had time to say "Good night," as the man shut the door.
By a juror - There was a light in the room, but I could not see anything, as the blind was down.
The Foreman - Should you know the man again if you saw him?
Witness - Oh, yes, I should.
By the Coroner - I feel certain that of there had been a cry of "Murder" in the deceased's room after three o'clock in the morning, I should have heard it. There was not the least sign of any noise whatever. I have often seen the deceased the worse for drink.

Elizabeth Prater, wife of William Prater - I was deserted by my husband five years ago. I live at No. 20 in Miller's Court. On Thursday I went out of the court about five, and I returned close upon one on Friday morning. I stood at the corner of the court waiting for a young man. I never saw my young man. I went into my room and lay down. I went into M'Carthy's shop.
The Coroner - Was it open at 1 a.m.?
Witness - Yes, sir, and sometimes later. I told him to say to my young man that I had gone to my room. From where I was I could see if a light was in the room of the deceased. I have only spoken to her once or twice. I lay down on the bed at 1.30 in my clothes. I fell asleep directly, because I had been having something to drink, and slept soundly. I had a little black kitten which used to come on to my neck. It woke me up from 3.30 to 4 by coming on to my face, and I gave it a blow and knocked it off. The lights were out in the lodging house. The cat went on to the floor, and that moment I heard, "Oh! Murder!" I was then turning round on my bed. The voice was a faintish one, as though some one had woke up with a nightmare. Such a cry is not unusual, and I did not take any particular notice. I did not hear the cry a second time. I did not hear any bed or table being pulled about. I went to sleep and was awakened about five o'clock. I woke myself. I was not awakened by any noise. I went downstairs and saw some men harnessing their horses. I walked out, and went into the Ten Bells public house, where I had some rum. The last witness (Mary Ann Cox) could have come down the court and gone out, but I did not see her. I saw no one particular at the Ten Bells. I was there at a quarter to six, and shortly afterwards I returned home again, and went to bed and slept till eleven o'clock on Friday morning. When I went home first at half past one, there was no singing going on in the deceased's room. If there had been, I should have heard it.

[Sam Flynn]

Hi CD

..."until we parted quite friendly before her murder."

That phrase (among others) seemed to ring a bell, so I checked. It appears that the Scotsman subscribed to the same press agents as the Morning Advertiser. Check the latter's account of the inquest in its 14th November edition, which has almost identical wording throughout.


Hi Chris,

Thanks for posting this, by the way. I'd be really interested to see if/where/how the accounts in both papers diverge.

[Chris Scott]

Thomas Bowyer (sworn) - I live at 37 Dorset Street, Spitalfields. I am a servant to M'Carthy, the owner of a chandler's shop. I serve in the shop. The shop is situated at 27 Dorset Street.
The Coroner - Will you tell the jury quietly and slowly what occurred on this Friday morning?
Witness - About a quarter to eleven on Friday morning I was ordered by M'Carthy to go to Mary Jane's room (No. 13). I did so.
What were you going to do there?
I went for the rent. I knocked at the door, and I received no answer. I knocked again, but got no answer. I went round the corner by the gutter spout, where there is a small pane of glass broken in the large window. There was a curtain before the window which covered both windows. I pulled the curtain aside and looked in.
What did you see?
I saw two lumps of flesh lying on the table.
Where was this table?
In front of the bed, and close against. The second time I looked in I saw the body of somebody lying on the bed, and blood on the floor. I at once then went very quietly back to my master and I told him what I had seen . "Good God," he said, "do you mean to say that, Harry?" We both went down to the police station. We told the police what we had seen. No one in the neighbourhood knew what had occurred. Nobody was in the shop. He came back with the inspector. I often "see" the woman in and out there. I knew the last witness, Joe. I have seen the deceased under the influence of drink once.
By a Juror - I saw her last alive on Wednesday afternoon in the court. Mr. M'Carthy's shop is at the corner of the court. I spoke to her on Wednesday afternoon.

John M'Carthy (sworn) - I am a grocer and lodging house keeper. My shop is No. 27 Dorset Street. On Friday morning, about 10.30, I sent Bowyer to No. 13 to call for rent. He went there, and he came back. The court is called Miller's Court. The man came back in five minutes. He said, "Governor, I knocked at the door, and can't make any one answer. I looked through the 'winder' and saw a lot of blood." I went out with him, looked through the window, and saw the woman and everything. I couldn't speak at first, but at last I said, "Harry, don't tell any one. Go for the police." I knew deceased as Mary Jane Kelly. I have seen her alive, and dead, and have no doubt about her identity. I recovered myself and went with Bowyer to the Commercial Street Police Station. I saw Inspector Beck, and told him what I had seen. He put on his hat and coat, and went to the house with me at once.
How long has the deceased lived in this room?
About ten months.
With this man Joe?
Yes. I did no concern myself. I did not know whether they were married or not. They had a row some time ago, and broke two panes of glass. The bed, tables, and chairs in the room belonged to me, and the bedclothes and everything. She paid 4s 6d a week for the room. The deceased was 29s in arrear of rent. The rent was paid weekly. I often saw the deceased the worse for drink. She was not reeling about, but she was noisy when under the influence of drink. She was not helpless, and was able to walk about. She was an exceptionally quiet woman, but when in drink she was noisy, and I could tell that she had been drinking.

[Chava]

...and she only went in fear of Barnett now and again and that was always shortly over. In other words he thumped her on occasion. I love that he makes sure the jury knows why they broke up. His being out of work had nothing to do with it!!

Thanks so much, Chris, for this!

[c.d.]

..."until we parted quite friendly before her murder." That seems a little strange. I wonder if he was attempting to deflect suspicion away from himself.

c.d.

[Chris Scott]

I am in the process of transcribing the Scotsman account of the Kelly inquest. This is by far the fullest version I have read and has many little comments that I have not seen before. I will post here in sections and the whole thing will be in the Press Reports section
I hope this is of interest
Chris

Section 1 deals with the preliminaries and Barnett's testimony:

Kelly Inquest
The Scotsman
13 November 1888

The Whitechapel Murder

Inquest and Verdict.

The inquest into the cause of the death of Mary Janet Kelly, who was found with her throat cut and horribly mutilated in Miller's Court, Dorset Street, Whitechapel, London, was opened yesterday, at eleven o'clock, in the Shoreditch Town Hall, before Dr. McDonald and a jury of fifteen. On the names being called over, the officer asked the jury to name their foreman. One was named, but he objected on the ground that the crime was not committed in Shoreditch, but in Whitechapel.
The Coroner - Do you think, sir, we do not know our business as to where our jurisdiction runs? The jury have no business to object. If you persist in your objection, I know how to deal with you - that is all.
Another Juryman - I am on the list for Shoreditch, and not for Whitechapel.
The Coroner - I am not going to discuss the matter of jurisdiction with the jury at all. The body lies in my jurisdiction. That is all I know; and all I have to say is - jurisdiction arises where the body lies.
The Officer repeated his request several times, and one or two who were named refused to act as foreman. But at length one consented. He was accordingly sworn, and then the jury went to view the body.
The Coroner directed that they should afterwards be taken to see the place where the body was found.
Inspectors Nairn and Abberline appeared on behalf of the police, but no one represented the deceased. The Court was held in a small committee room on the ground floor, and one altogether inadequate to the purpose of so important an inquiry. Upon the return of the jury at noon the taking of evidence commenced.

Joseph Barnett was the first witness called, and after some trouble he was found and entered the Court. Upon the Testament being handed to him, he at once kissed it, and on being checked by the officer, said, "Oh, well, I don't know nothing about such things. I've never been on such an errand before."
The oath was then administered.
The Coroner said, before commencing, he had to request that there should be complete silence in the Court. With regard to what the newspapers had said about the jurisdiction, he had not had any communication with Dr. Baxter as to jurisdiction. There was no doubt at all it was his duty to hold the inquest. A previous murder which took place occurred in his jurisdiction, but the body was taken into the district over which Dr. Baxter had direction, and he of course held the inquest. There was no question whatever as to his right to hold the inquiry.
Joseph Barnett then deposed - I was originally a fish porter, but now I am a labourer. I work at the river-side and carry fish. I lived up to Saturday last at 24 New Street, Bishopsgate. Since Saturday last I have been staying at my sister's, who lives at 21 Portpool Lane, Leather Lane. I have lived with the deceased for a year and eight months. Her name was Marie Jeanette Kelly. Kelly was her maiden name. I have seen the body of the deceased, and I identify it by the hair and eyes. I am positive that the deceased was the woman with whom I lived, and that her name was Marie.
Q. - How long have you lived with her at 13 Room, Miller's Court?
A. - About eight months, but the landlord says it is more.
When did you cease to live with her?
Last Tuesday week, the 30th ult.
Why did you leave her?
Because she took in an immoral woman out of compassion. My being out of work had nothing to do with it.
When did you see her last?
About seven on Thursday evening.
Were you and she on friendly terms?
Yes, very friendly. We were always good friends.
Did you have a drink together?
No, sir.
Was she quite sober?
She was.
Was she generally speaking of sober habits?
As long as she was with me and had my hard earned wages she was sober.
Did she get drunk occasionally?
Occasionally, yes; in my eyesight once or twice.
Did she tell you where she was born?
Yes, hundreds of times. She said she was born in Limerick, and went to Wales when quite young. Then she told me her father was named John Kelly, and was a "gaffer" at some ironworks. I don't know whether she said Carnarvonshire or Carmarthenshire.
Did she tell you anything about her other relatives, sisters and others?
Yes. She told me about her sister, who was respectable and lived with her aunt, following her occupation. That was going from place to place selling things. But I never saw any of her relatives.
(Witness spoke with a stutter, and evidently laboured under great emotion.)
She said there were six of them at home, and one was in the army. I have never seen or spoken to them.
Did she say she had been married?
Yes, but she was very young at the time. The marriage took place in Wales. She told me that she was married to a collier in Wales, and his name was Davis or Davies.
Did she tell you how long she lived with him?
Until he met his death in an explosion. She did not tell me the exact time she lived with him, but it might have been a year or two. She said she married Davies at the age of 16.
She told you that she came to London about four years ago?
Yes, she did.
Was that directly after her husband's death?
After her husband's death she went to Cardiff, with a cousin.
What was she doing in Cardiff?
She was carrying on with her cousin in a bad life. As I told her, it was her downfall.
When did she come to London?
About four years ago.
What did she do when she came to London?
She lived in a house at the West End - a gay house, with a madam.
How long did she live there?
As far as she described it to me, a few weeks. Then some gentleman asked her to go to France, and she went; but, as she described it to me, she didn't like it, and came back in about a week or two's time.
Did she tell you the name of the place in France?
She told me; but she did not remain long, as she did not like it.
Did she live in France long?
No; about a fortnight. She came back as she did not like it.
When she returned from France, where did she tell you she lived?
In the Ratcliffe Highway.
Do you know how long she lived there?
She must have lived there for some time.
After that where did she live?
Near the Commercial Gasworks, with a man named Morganstone. I have never seen him. I don't know how long she lived there. When she left the neighbourhood of the gasworks, she went to live, I think, as far as I can remember, at Pennington Street. She lived with another man named Joseph Fleming; but why she left him I don't know. She described him as a mason's plasterer.
Did she tell you where Fleming lived?
Somewhere in the Bethnal Green Road.
Was that all that you knew of her history until you came to live with her?
She told me her history while I was living with her.
Who lived with her before you?
I cannot answer whether it was Morganstone or Fleming.
Where did you first pick up with her?
In the parish of Spitalfields, or Whitechapel.
Did you go to live with her the first time you saw her?
We had a drink together, and then we made arrangements to meet on the Saturday.
What did you arrange on the Saturday?
On Saturday we agreed to come together - to keep with one another.
Did you take a house then at once?
No; but we took lodgings.
Have you lived with her ever since?
Yes, ever since, until we parted quite friendly before her murder.
Did she have any fear about any one?
No, not particular; but she used to ask me to read about the murders, and I used to bring them all home and read them. If I did not bring one, she would get it herself and ask me whether the murderer was caught. I used to tell her everything as what was in the papers.
Did she go in fear of any particular individual?
No, sir; only with me now and again, and that was always shortly over - one moment rowing, and for days and weeks always friendly. Often I bought her things coming home, and, whatever it was, she always liked it. She was always glad of my fetching her such articles, such as meat and other things, as my hard earnings would allow.
The Coroner (no juryman desiring to ask a question) told the witness not to leave the precincts of the Court, and said he had given his evidence very well.